Peugeot Releases a Handful of New Photos of 301 Compact Sedan

Looking at the (evidently photoshoped) image posted above, you would be inclined to believe that Peugeot is marketing some sort of crossover model, which wouldn't hold true as the car you see here is nothing more than the French firm's mainstream 301 compact saloon. Then why go into all that trouble to paste the 301 on a gravel path? Well, the answer to this question is Peugeot wants to convey the message that its new sedan is built tough and can handle the roughest of roads.
"From the start of the project, when the specification for the car was being drawn up, Peugeot’s engineers went out on long driving missions to build up mileage on the different sorts of roads that would be taken by the future 301 customers," says Peugeot.
"Roads with poor surfaces, hot climates, cold climates, humid climates… all of the possible situations have been tested and sometimes even with a customer at the wheel. In total, many tens of thousands of kilometres have been run in several continents," the French carmaker added.
So in which regions/countries will the 301 go on sale? Starting from November 1, the new Peugeot model will be available in Turkey and then in Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, the Maghred, the Middle East, the Gulf States and African countries, certain Latin American markets and China.
Depending on the market, the 301 will compete against cars in the likes of the new Skoda Rapid and Seat Toledo twins, as well as its own French sibling, the Citroen C-Elysee.
Available engine options will include a 70hp (71PS) 1.2-liter VTi petrol, a 91hp (92PS) 1.6-liter HDi turbo diesel and a 114hp (115PS) 1.6-liter petrol.

PHOTO GALLERY

Mercedes-Benz Puts a Price Tag on New CLS Shooting Brake in Europe

While deliveries will not begin until October 6, 2012, Mercedes-Benz has released pricing for the European range of the new CLS Shooting Brake series, which is available to order with immediate effect. In Mercedes-Benz' home market of Germany, the sleek estate model starts at €61,761 (US$75,850) for the CLS 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY with a 201hp (204PS) four-cylinder diesel engine rising up to €117,512.50 (US$144,320) for the flagship CLS 63 AMG fitted with a 518hp (525PS) 5.5-liter bi-turbo V8.
In between, you will find the petrol engine CLS 350 V6 with 302hp (306PS) and CL500 V8 with 402hp (408PS), and the diesel-powered CLS 350 CDI (262hp / 265PS).
There's also the limited production CLS 63 AMG Edition 1 variant, which features a more powerful force-fed V8 rated at 550hp (557PS) and 800 Nm along with bespoke details and features, though Mercedes has not yet announced how much this model will cost.
We'll remind you the brand with the star has confirmed that it won't sell the Shooting Brake model in the United States because of "the continued aversion to wagons by U.S. car buyers," according to a company spokesman who talked to Autonews Europe.

PHOTO GALLERY

Mercedes-Benz USA Details its 2013 Model

There is plenty of news coming our way from Mercedes-Benz, as the German premium automaker's U.S. division has released detailed information about its 2013 model year lineup. On the brand-new model front, we have the next GL-Class 7-seat crossover that goes on sale in September with a choice of four engines including a 240hp V6 diesel, while the range-topping GL65 AMG with 550hp will follow early next year.
Mercedes-Benz will also launch three facelifted models, including the G-Class SUV and GLK crossover in August, and the SLS AMG GT Coupe and Roadster in November.
Another highlight is the brand's next generation "mbrace2" telematics service that adds Internet access and numerous other features and which will be standard on most 2013MY vehicles, including the C- and E-Class. 

 

Engine Specs for Toyota Avalon 2013

When Toyota pulled the wraps off the all-new 2013 Avalon sedan at the New York Auto Show this past April, it shared many general details about the fourth-generation model but didn't say a word about the powertrain options. Now, the time has come for Toyota to disclose that the new Avalon will arrive in dealerships later this year with a choice of two engines, a regular V6 gasoline unit and for the first time in the model's history, a fuel-efficient hybrid system.
We'll start with the Avalon Hybrid, which borrows its powertrain from the Toyota Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES 300h and as such, links a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine to a 244.8-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack and a pair of electric motor/generators within the transaxle.
The Avalon Hybrid achieves a combined output of 200-horsepower with a peak torque of 200 lb-ft (271 Nm).
According to Toyota, the hybrid model returns an EPA-rated fuel economy of 40 mpg (5.9lt/100km) in the city, 39 mpg (6.0lt/100km) on the highway and a combined 40 mpg EPA-rating.
The Avalon's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology offers three modes of operation named EV, ECO and SPORT. In EV mode, the sedan can run on pure electric power for a distance up to one mile (1.6 kilometers) at speeds of up to 25mph (40km/h).
The styling differences between the regular Avalon and the Hybrid model appear to be limited to the blue outline on the Toyota logos.
The standard 2013 Avalon is powered by Toyota's 3.5-liter V6 engine rated at 268 horsepower and 248 lbs. ft. of torque, matted to a six-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels.
Toyota says the V6 will propel the new sedan to 60 mph (96km/h) in under seven seconds and return an EPA-rated fuel economy of 21 mpg city, 31 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined.
The new 2013 Avalon will be built at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK) plant in Georgetown, with prices to be announced.

2013 TOYOTA AVALON HYBRID

2013 TOYOTA AVALON